Return bend header for pipes



Hf FLD'MIE'R RETURN BEND HEADEQR FOR IFES Nov. 3 v1925.

Filed Jan. 192.2

l45 opened,

Patented Nov. 3,?192'5.

.UNITED STATES HARVEY FELDNCEIEB, F LITTLE FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 D. E. BURRELIn CO., INC., OF LITTLE FALLS, NEW YORK.

1,559,949 lhfx'ralw'l,4 OFFICE- &

RETURN BEND HEADER FOR PIPES.

Application meu January s, 1922. serial No. 526,830.

To all whom t may com/cem.'

Be it known that I, HARVEY FELDMEIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Little Falls, in the county of Herkimer and Y State of New York, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Return Bend Headers for Pipes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in return bend headers or closures for pipes or tubes and particularly for the pipes or tubes used in apparatus for cooling or heating milk or other fluids.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a return bend header or closure for tubes of this character, which may be readily and conveniently applied to the adjacent tubes to form a return bend connection therebetween without disturbing or displacing the tubes. Another object of my invention is to provide a return bend header which may be readily opened to permit the cleaning of tle tubes themselves and to permit the cleaning of the header. Another 25 object of my invention is to provide a return bend header whichwill form a clear assage' without obstructions or pro'ections t at can cause the lodgment of mil or otherA fluid passing therethrough; and also to improve return bend headers in the other respects hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

For the purpose of illustrating vmy invention I have shown one embodiment thereof in the accompany' g drawing in which':

Fig. 1 is a sideelevation o a portion of a liquid cooler or heater showing an applica# tion of my invention,

Fig. 2 1s a longitudinal sectional view of 40 a portion of a liquid cooler or heater and of the header,

Fig. 3 is an end view of the return bend header, l Y

Fig. 4 is a detail section showing the cover Fig. 5 is a detail section showing the manner of securing the tubes in the header, .and

Fig. 6 is a erspective view of the header `cover detached.

In the structure selected for showing an embodiment ofl m invention I have illustrated a portion o an a paratus Afor cooling or heatin milk in whicl? there is provided a series o inner flow tubes or assages l through which the milk is adapt to'flow and a series of outer flow tubes or passages surrounding the .inner tubes and through 1 vwhich support both the inner tubes 3 and' the outer tubes 4 and provide return passages. connecting the outertubes to permit the liquid to flow from one outer tube to the next. These How passages of the heads l 1 are divided by partltions 5 which subdivide the interior chambers of the heads in such manner that zig zag fiow passages are formed by the headers and the outer tubes throughwhich the cooling liquid flows back andv forth. The outer tubes 4 are connected with the headers 1 by stuffing boxes 6 arranged on the inner faces of the headers and having therein suitable gacking 7 secured in position by packing g ands 8: which are screw threaded into the stuiiing boxes 6 and aresuitably fashioned to permit of the` use of`l a wrench thereon.

The inner tubes 3 extend through the (heads 1 and are held in position in the heads and the surroundin openings tightly closed by stuling boxes 9 ormed on the outer faces ofthe heads opposite the stuffing boxes 6 and havin arranged therein packing 10 held in position by packing glands 11.

The inner tubes project through the stuf- -V ing boxes 9 and the adjacent-ends of two adjacent tubes are connected by a return bend header so that the milk or other liquid' flowing out ofone tube will flow through the return bend header back into the next adjacent tube, thus taking a zig zag course throughout the series of tubes. When such .and particularly the parts through which the milk passes be so arranged and constructed that the tubes and all channels apparatus is -used ,for handling milk it is y los through which the milk passes shall be readily' accessible for inspection and cleaning. To this end each of the return bend headers through which the liquid passes 1s so constructed that it may be readily opened without disassociating the parts .thereof to permit `not only the cleaning of the tubes themselves but to permit easy and thorough cleaning of the return bend passage. In the structure illustrated whereby the above and other advantageous results may be obtained, I provide a return bend header comprising a base '12 and a cover 13. The base preferably consists of an elongated casting having pipe receivingopenings formed therein, each opening extending clear through the casting and forming a stuing box 14 surrounding the inner pipe or tube 3. rl`he stuffing box is enlarged and internally screw threaded as at 15 and has a conical seat 16 surrounding the. tube. Surrounding the tube and engaging against the conical seat 16 is a packing ring 17 formed preferably of ductile metal, such for instance as copper, which is forced against `the seat 16 and thereby contracted into close gripping engagement with the end of the tube 3 by means of a screw threaded gland 15a which is screwed into `the internal thread of the opening through which the tube passes. The gland is-hexed or otherwise shaped to permit the application of a wrench for tightening it in position.

The base 12 is provided at v'its outer side with a cover seat 18 which surrounds the ends of the two inner tubes 3 and cooperates with "a complementary seating portion on the cover 13 to form a continuous jointsurrounding the open ends v"of the two tubes, the`base and cover forming an elongated chamber with which the pipes communicate and whichprovides a passage from one pipe uto the other. As shown in the drawings, the cover seat 18 Aon the base is in the form of a raised annular rib or ange, and

the cover has formed in its inner side anelongated recess 20 which together with the recess 19 formed in the base by the flange 18, constitute the return passage establishing communication between the two pipes or tubes, A suitable packing is employed between the complementary seating portions of the base and cover whichinsures a tight joint between the cover and base, a packing gasket confined in a groove 21 in the 'edge of the cover being shown for this purpose.

The cover 13 is pivoted to a carrying arm 23, preferably by a pair of spaced lugs 22 on itsouter face between which the arm is arranged and `a pivot pin 24 extending through the lugs and arm. The arm23 is hinged to the base 12, preferably between lugs 25 on the base, and at its free end is bifurcated at 26 to receive a bolt 27 hinged at 28 to the base and provided with a wing `nut 29 'at its outer end to engage the bifurcated end of the swinging arm22. By the above mounting, due to the hinged' connection with the swinging arm, the cover is free to rock slightly and engage the iange 18 with uniform pressure at all points, while the hinged arm and bolt provide means whereby the cover may be securely and tightly clamped in position.

It will be observed that when the cover carrying arm 23 is released and raised, and the cover thereby removed, the entire interior of the coupling or header is exposed to permit access to the interior of the tubes for sighting therethrough and the ready cleaning thereof. Furthermore, the return bend passage is formed by open-sided recesses 19 and 20 in the base and cover so that when the cover is opened all parts of the connection are exposed and may be easily cleaned and sterilized and this without the disassociating of any of the parts thereof. This is desirable since it eliminates the possibility of dropping and injuring or losing any of the parts. It will be noted also that by the provision of the stufng boxes for connecting the return bend header to the tubes 3 these headers are readily detachable from the ends of the tubes and may be quickly and easily removed for the purpose of repair or renewal. This construction also enables the headers to be readily applied to coolers or heaters which are in use and in which it would be impracticable to properly solder the headers in place.

'While I have illustrated and described one embodiment of my invention it will be understood that my invention may be embodied in various forms and that various modifications of the structure illustrated may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth 1n the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1.`A return header for connecting the ends of adjacent tubes, comprising a base having openings therethrough in which the ends of the tubes are adapted to be secured,

a cover for said base and cooperating therewith when the cover is in closed posltion on the base to form a return bend passage establishing communication between the ends of said tubes, said cover being mounted on the base to move inwardly and outwardly toward and from the same'substantially perpendicular to the plane of the cover-seat on the base for closing and opening said return bend passage, and meansv for releasably securing said cover in closed position.

2. A return header for connecting the ends of adjacentv tubes, comprising a base having openings therethrough in which the ends of the tubes are adapted to be secured, a movable cover for said base and cooperating therewith when the cover is in closed position on the base to form a return bend passage communicating with the ends of vhinge connection between said cover and said arm to permit the. bodily separation of said cover from said base in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the cover-seat on the base, and means cooperating .with said arm for -clamping said cover against said base.

3. A return header for connecting the ends of adjacent tubes, comprising a base having openings therethrough in which the ends of the tubes are adapted to be secured, a cover for said base cooperating therewith when the, cover is in closed' position on the base to form a return passage vestablishing communication between the ends of said tubes,

said cover and basehaving opposed, seating portions which extend unlnterruptedly around the ends of said tubes, and said cover being mounted on said base to move inward- 1y and outwardly toward and from the latter substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the cover seat `on the base for closing and opening said return passage, a packing between said seating portions of the base and cover, and means for releasably securing said cover in closed position. A

4. A return header for connecting the adjacent ends of tubes, comprising a base having openings extending therethrough for the-reception of -said tubes, a rib on the outer side of said base surrounding said openings and forming a single cavity connecting with both openings, and a cover for said-base having a recess in its inner side and at its edge seating on said rib to form between said 'base and cover a return bend passage communicating with the ends of the tubes, said cover being mounted on said base to move substantially perpendicuiarly toward andr from the plane of said rib for closing and opening said passage, and means for releasably clamping said cover against said rib.

HARVEY FELDMEIEI-z- 

